


taken

by ppcrker



Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:40:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29155974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ppcrker/pseuds/ppcrker
Summary: the person that you’ve loved, and spent so long with, turns out to not be the person that you thought they were. now they’ve gotten you into a mess. a mess you don’t wanna be in. or do you? // mob!tom au
Relationships: Tom Holland (Actor)/Peter Parker/Reader
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

fear and panic flooded your veins, leaving you _unsettled_.

for the first time in awhile, you’d merely wanted to enjoy a night out with your friends. of course though, given your luck as of late, things hadn’t exactly played out that way.

you’d stepped outside for some air, and not even a few minutes had passed before you’d been cornered — and knocked completely unconscious.

there was a piece of fabric wrapped around your head, leaving you completely unaware of your surroundings.

you could make out the rev of an engine, and as you attempted to shift where you were seated, you found that your hands were tied.

“don’t try anything dumb,” a male voice suddenly uttered. you immediately stopped fumbling, staying completely still. “we’ll be arriving shortly.”

arriving? arriving where?

the car ride suddenly became bumpier, as if they were off-road — on gravel, maybe? a driveway? you were determined to figure out your surroundings, even if you couldn’t see a thing.

before you could ponder it any further, the car came to a halt. as you attempted to shift once more, the blindfold was ripped away from your head — and you were yanked out of the vehicle suddenly.

there were a few males surrounding you, which you assumed were there to prevent you from escaping, or even trying to run.

“where am i—?” you ask shakily, unsure of what would happen to you. your eyes took in the breathtaking sight before you, it was a home — an insanely large home.

surrounded by fancy vehicles, a fountain placed out front — large windows, a spacious yard, completely hidden by a forest of trees. you were in the middle of nowhere.

but what would anyone want with you?

“you can ask the boss,” one male scoffed, gripping your arm and tugging you towards the front entrance.

you winced at his painful grip, and as you attempted to yank away, the male snapped—

“be still!” he growled, and you glared in defiance—

“let go of me,” you scowl, “ _asshole_.”

the male glared, and yanked you up by your arm even more, “—listen here, you ignorant little—“

“that’s enough. i asked you to deliver her to me, _untouched_. i don’t recall telling you to rough her up,” a british voice cuts through the air, and you glance over to see someone approaching.

the male is quick to release you and step away, uttering an apology to his — _boss_?

this is the boss? he looks so _young_ , so — _handsome_? yet intimidating, his features sharp, his aura powerful.

“names tom holland,” he introduces himself, and something about the name rings a bell, but you aren’t quite sure why.

tom comes to stand just in front of you, almost nonchalantly – hands tucked into his pockets, “you have no clue why you’re here, do you?”

you consider for a moment what could’ve brought you to this very moment, but you still can’t figure it out — you shake your head in response.

“you have a boyfriend, don’t you?” tom prods, and you narrow your eyes at him in suspicion, before nodding your head.

“he’ll be the one you’ll have to blame for this,” tom explains further, “this is my way of — getting even, but not quite. we won’t be even until he’s dead.”

your eyes widen and you freeze, what had he done? you’d been with jackson for nearly a year, how could you have missed anything of significance?

then again, people are with one another for years and there’s things they never know. it left you unsettled. especially the fact that the male — tom, standing in front of you, had ill intent towards your boyfriend.

“what do you want with _him?_ ” you question, eyes wide with fear, “with _me?_ ”

tom stares down at you inquisitively, as if trying to figure you out — “i told you what would come of him. what’ll come of you, i have yet to decide. i want to first figure out whether or not you played a part in his betrayal.”

you shake your head, “i can assure you i didn’t — i have no idea what you’re talking about, let alone who any of you people are—“

tom scowls, “you really think i’d just trust you? he’s your boyfriend. i’m sure you’d do anything to protect him, even lie—“

your brows furrow almost immediately at his accusation, “—i am _not_ a _liar_.”

“no one said you were,” tom chuckles, “but i’m gonna take my sweet time trying to pry the truth from that pretty little head of yours.”

a blonde male approached and came to stand just beside of him, his eyes settled on you for a moment before awaiting tom’s orders — you assumed.

“it’s a shame you’re gonna waste so much time trying to get something that you’ve already gotten from me,” you retort, annoyed at the entire situation.

“this is harrison, we aren’t just business partners. he’s my best mate, and he’s gonna look after you while you’re stuck here—“

“—stuck here? you’re taking me _captive?_ ”

tom glares, clearly unappreciative of the disruption, “—yes, i am. until you tell me the truth.”

you jut out your jaw as if to appear more intimidating, but you didn’t stand a chance — not in front of tom. his face hovers just in front of yours, “—i am not a _pet_. i already gave you what you wanted.”

“sorry love, but i don’t trust very easily,” tom replies, his gaze traveling across your face — your heart nearly leaping free of your chest when they pause on your lips, before he was glaring into your eyes again.

“that’s not my problem,” was your retort. and you took note of the fact that his best mate — harrison, stared on at the two of you in amusement – but he stared at you in disbelief.

little did you know — harrison knew what tom was capable of, how little he would tolerate. but you were relentless, and his best mate was currently being tested.

“harrison, take her to her room,” tom orders, glaring at you still — “i’ve had everything you might need, delivered in there. clothes, beauty items – stuff to keep you comfortable while you stay.”

you watch as tom turns on his heel, heading to leave. something about watching him disappear leaves you more unsettled. the fact that you were being left alone with his rude men.

“this isn’t right!” you scoffed, turning to face where tom’s figure was walking away, “this isn’t right and you know it! damn it! _tom_ —!”

you felt harrison’s hand around your arm as the tears stung your eyes, watching as tom’s figure paused — not even sparing you a glance, but continuing down the hallway.

“y/n—“ harrison grabs your attention, turning you to look up at him, “give him time. if you’re telling the truth, he’ll see it. eventually.”

as harrison led you down the hallway, you wiped the tears from your cheek as you tried to calm the panicked fluttering of your heart. 

coming to a halt in front of a door just at the end of the hallway, he turns to look at you. “just because he’s my best mate, doesn’t mean i always approve of his tactics. but if you’re being honest, he’ll have to see it for himself.”

you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him, even as he led you into the room and disappeared shortly after.

• • •

the room that tom had fixed up for you, as he’d said — was nothing short of nice at least. there was a queen sized canopy bed, a walk-in closet, and a personal bathroom.

it was comfortable — at least. even if you hated the circumstances. you didn’t even have your cellphone. they’d taken all of your belongings off of you, and left you with nothing.

you sighed as you sat at the edge of the bed, contemplating what to do. you didn’t even know how long you’d be stuck there, how to keep yourself occupied.

but you were sure of one thing. you weren’t gonna sit around. whether tom was lenient or not, you were determined to be stubborn enough to get your way. to get some sort of freedom.

first thing was first, though. you needed rest. and as you curled up under the blankets on the bed you’d sleep on for who knows how long — you drifted to sleep.

• • •

when you woke the next morning, the first thing you did was shower — cleansing the makeup from your face, the grossness that you felt from being taken — stepping out and feeling refreshed.

you wrapped a towel around yourself, finding a hairtie and making quick work of tying your hair in a knot atop of your head.

not exactly wanting to wear makeup today, but not exactly wanting to go without either — you decided on a shiny gloss for your lips, and simple mascara for the eyes. a simplistic look, one that you felt comfortable with.

“i can see you’ve made yourself at home already,” tom’s voice cuts through the air suddenly, and you quickly fumble to clutch the towel closer to your frame – staring at him in shock.

“what are you doing? _get out_ —!”

“making sure you aren’t being stupid. trying to escape, or plot out a silly little plan—“

you glare, “i’m innocent. and i’m not dumb enough to test the savages that work for you. you’ll see in time, that i don’t play any part in any of this.”

you considered yourself resilient, capable of surviving anything. in these situations, you knew being cooperative would treat you better than being anything less than.

“i would really hope that you didn’t play a part in any of it,” tom comments in complete seriousness, approaching you now. you stood with your back against the counter, still clutching the towel to yourself, wide-eyed.

“–well i didn’t,”

“because if you did, i don’t know what i’ll do with you,” tom sighs, clearly upset. he stopped when he came to stand maybe a couple inches from you, his face hovering just in front of yours.

no space left between the two of you.

“i didn’t do anything—“ you sigh, trying to hide the fact that his close proximity left you flustered.

“i want to kill him, y/n. i will,” tom snaps, the iciness in his gaze left you unsettled.

something turned in your gut, something about the fact that the person you considered your lover, would be dead soon.

“what did he do? i don’t understand—“

tom shakes his head, “you’re all the same, aren’t you? you’ll say whatever you need to say. act as oblivious as you need to, to protect whoever you _love_ —“

you shove at his chest now, but he doesn’t move an inch — “fucking stop! i’ve been nothing but honest with you! tell me what we did to deserve any of this!”

you’d finally snapped, tired of the accusations, already tired of the situation you were in—

tom grabbed your hands to stop you from hitting at his chest, yanking you against him — and you froze as you stared up at his features — his handsomeness still left you stunned, but the emotion you found in his gaze all of a sudden — hit you heavier.

“don’t act like you don’t know who you lay with at night. don’t act like you don’t know the person you chose—“

you shake your head, not understanding.

“he killed my entire family, y/n. he killed them all in the name of _spite_ ,” tom explains, clearing it up for you.

but all you could do was stand there, shaken with terror — disbelief, your wide-eyes shifted from tom’s lips — that’d just uttered the very things you’d never known, and you found his eyes.

“he did _what?_ ”

tom studies your face for a few moments — moments, that felt like minutes — minutes, before he realized finally the fact that you were indeed oblivious.

“you really didn’t know, did you?”

you felt overwhelmed, unable to breathe suddenly.

“get out,” you whispered, tears stinging your eyes.

tom stands there for a moment too long, and you push past him, headed for the bedroom.

“leave me alone,” you cry, feeling overwhelmed with emotion, but tom doesn’t seem to care.

“i thought that you kne—“ tom sighs, but you’ve already snapped.

“you thought that i knew? you thought that i was being nothing short of a liar? i know! i have to deal with the fact that the person i thought i knew – _well_ i never really fucking did. and now i’m stuck here because of it!”

tom sighs, “i’m sorry y/n—“

“you’re not fucking sorry,” you shake your head, “because you’re still gonna keep me captive, and use me however you want.”

“because that’s who i am! because he _deserves_ to fucking pay for what he’s done!” he snaps, approaching you where you stand at the edge of the bed—

“and i deserve to pay, too? is that right? get out, just get out–!”

tom stares at you for a moment, clearly just as upset as you — as if he wants to say something more.

but instead, he turns on his heel, and leaves the room — giving you what you wanted.

and all you can do is sit on the edge of the bed as you start to crumble.


	2. Chapter 2

you stayed there seated at the edge of the bed for what felt like hours — but in reality it’d only been a few minutes at most.

tom had you absolutely fuming. to an extent, you could understand his distrust – who’d trust a stranger, after all? but to another extent, his distrust left you livid. 

it had become obvious to him moments earlier, that you were literally clueless as to what your boyfriend had done.

and yet, he still doubted you. as if it were some sort of act. 

finally pushing yourself to stand, you head into the closet to dress. after pulling on your underwear, you step into a simplistic white day-dress that hits just above your knees — slipping into a pair of flats that match. 

you felt your stomach grumble and you shifted in discomfort. as much as you didn’t care to eat, you knew that you needed to.

so you went for the door, opening it and stepping out—

“—where do you think you’re going?”

guards. seriously? guards? 

“to eat,” you scoff, “is there a problem? because if there is, you can tell tom to take it up with me.” 

before then can comment on your retort, you’ve turned on your heel and headed down the hallway in search of the kitchen. 

you paused when you walked by it, turning around and heading through the doorway — it was beautiful — the countertops marble, multiple windows, spacious. 

making yourself a glass of orange juice, you settled on having a muffin. nothing fancy, something filling for the time being. 

once you’d finished, you wandered further down the hallway – up a staircase, and found yourself in what appeared to be a lounging room.

a stereo, bookshelves, a desk, couches — a tv. you made your way over to the bookshelves in search of something you might read. 

one caught your eye, and you grabbed it off the shelf—

“what are you doing?” tom’s voice cuts through the air suddenly, and you drop the book with a gasp. 

shooting him a glare, you cautiously bend down to pick up the book — placing it back on the shelf.

“what does it look like?” you sigh, crossing your arms over your chest.

tom stuffs his hands in his pockets, and that’s when you notice his attire. he’s wearing a black tee, dark jeans, boots, a hat—

he looks undeniably attractive—

“things you aren’t supposed to be doing,” tom replies, eyeing you intently now. 

you roll your eyes, “oh. i forgot, i’m nothing but a prisoner in a cell.” 

“no. leverage, bait. guilty until proven innocent,” tom clarifies, “until you’re of no use to me, you shouldn’t be allowed such freedoms.” 

approaching him suddenly, you stop just a few inches from him. glaring—

“i told you i’m innocent. i don’t play a part in any of this—“

“and what? what would you have me do? hm? drop all necessary caution, and trust you?” tom questions, eyeing you inquisitively. 

you stare at him, irritation evident.

“that’d make me a fool, love. and i’m anything but,” tom chuckles, and you exhale shakily — not realizing you’d taken a sharp inhale at the endearment. he called you love? 

before you could read into it any further, harrison is entering the room—

“that meeting we discu—“ harrison trailed off as he finally took note of you standing there, and he looked between you and tom, “am i interrupting something?”

you look back to tom, finding that he’s still staring at you. you heart leaps—

“no, i’m going back to my room now,” you reply quickly, stepping around tom to exit the room.

“hey, y/n,” harrison chimes, and you turn to look at him — “we’re having a party here later. you should come out and join.” 

you glance to tom who, in turn, looks at harrison incredulously — in utter disbelief. 

“um. sure, i’ll consider,” you shrug, turning the corner — but you don’t proceed down the hallway. it’s not polite to eavesdrop, but you couldn’t resist.

tom clearly didn’t approve of the idea, but his best mate had already invited you — and whether he wanted to tell you no or not, he just stood there — stunned.

as you listened out, you heard an exasperated sigh from tom—

“what are you doing?” tom questions, clearly pressed over it.

harrison chuckles in return, “c’mon man. you and i both know that she shouldn’t be held up in there—“

“no, we don’t know that?” tom scowls, you can hear the frustration lacing every word. 

“—look mate, i trust her to be quite honest. she’s clearly under distress and doesn’t know what the fuck is even going on,” harrison sighs, defending you shamelessly.

you knew he was definitely the only one that could get away with it — expressing himself so freely around tom.

“or she’s acting oblivious to protect herself and him,” tom comments, and you roll your eyes. 

“you’re seriously paranoid. if last night went as you said it did, if she really reacted that way — she’s innocent in this,” harrison speaks again, “you’ll either trust her in time, or you won’t. and when you see the truth, you’ll have to set her free.”

shifting on your feet, you made your way down the hallway — not wanting to hear anymore, and not wanting to risk getting caught.

•

as evening fell, you could hear people entering the house — one after the other. as time passed, you could hear the music, the commotion.

anxiousness stirred in your gut. but you pushed it aside, stepping into the closet to find something worth wearing. 

you decided on a deep green spaghetti-strap dress, with black heels. the dress stopped mid thigh, the skirt flowing around your legs. the dress cut just between your cleavage, and when you stepped into the bathroom — you nearly gasped.

it had to be an expensive dress, the fabric alone felt ridiculously nice. it accentuated your curves nicely, and worked well with your skin tone, as well as the rest of your features. 

you curled your hair in waves, and applied a matching shade of eye-shadow, applying some glitter as well as lip gloss.

deciding you were ready, you sighed as you nervously exited the room. as you traveled down the hallway and descended the stairs, you nearly turned on your heel to retreat back to your room.

there were people everywhere, a ridiculously large crowd. 

instead, you went straight for the drinks — determined to squander the anxiousness you felt. you could do this.

“y/n?” you heard, turning to find harrison standing there, “you look really nice.”

you smiled tensely, “thanks. i tried.”

“ease up, no one’ll hurt you here,” harrison encourages you, and you laugh nervously. 

“little hard to do when you know no one. and you’re known as the captive, or whatever you’d call me,” you shrug, sighing as you scooped a glass off of a nearby tray.

as you sip at it, you scrunched your nose up at the strong taste – sipping at it again to grow used to it.

“here, come—“

you have no time to protest, before harrison’s grabbing your hand and spinning you onto the dance floor. 

“you’re kidding—“

you laugh nervously as harrison twirls you around, before pulling you near — an arm around you, one of your hands on his shoulder — your free hands clasped just to the side. 

“i spoke to tom earlier. he’s a moron, deep down. a lot of bad shit has happened to him, he’s not very — trusting,” harrison explains,

“—no shit.”

“don’t get me wrong. he’s got a temper from hell, and he’s not one to toy with. that’s why he’s so vengeful as is, but. even though he’s a div...he’s still got some goodness, deep down in there—“

“doubtful,” you add, earning a laugh from harrison. 

“what’ve we got here?” you hear from behind you, and you turn suddenly at the sound of his voice—

tom’s standing there, clad in his same outfit as earlier — his black tee, dark jeans, boots – his hat, his watch — you took note of it all.

his eyes were raking over you just as yours were him—

“just keeping y/n company,” harrison explains, slapping his mate on the shoulder, “i’ll let you take it from here.” 

harrison excuses himself, and you watch as tom’s gaze drifts over you once more—

he lifts the cup in his hand to his lips, taking a sip before setting it aside—

you have no time to protest before tom’s pulling you towards him just as harrison had moments before. 

you feel your breathing catch as his nose nearly brushes yours, not expecting to collide with his chest like you had—

he doesn’t seem to mind, and you run your hand across his shoulder as you avoid his gaze.

you can feel it, you can feel him eyeing you intently.

“do you enjoy spending time with harrison?” tom questions suddenly, and your eyes snap to his. was he implying something—? 

“it’s not like that—“

“didn’t say it was,” tom comments, and you search his face — he looks....bothered.

you narrow your eyes, “are you jealous or something?” 

tom’s jaw clenches, and you watch as he attempts to seem unbothered—

“nothing to be jealous of, darling. just curious of what you two are up to,” tom shrugs, and you laugh suddenly.

he looks taken aback.

“you’re a terrible liar,” you smile, “there’s nothing going on there. he just keeps telling me that you’ll pull your head out of your ass, and i keep telling him that i highly doubt it.” 

tom stares at you inquisitively, before seemingly believing you — and surprisingly, amusement crosses his features.

the two of you remain silent for a few moments, and you look away as he continues to study you, and you look away — feeling the familiar anxiousness.

“you know,” you start, “for someone who believes that i played a part in their family’s demise, you sure do seem comfortable with me.” 

tom seems to take this as a confrontation, and he glares at you now—

“maybe i’m trusting my best mates intuition. maybe i’m trying to figure it out for myself,” tom explains, and you swear it feels like he’s pulling you closer—. 

you try to remember to breathe—

his face is so close, you can smell his cologne, you can feel how close he is—

you couldn’t deny how attractive you found him to be. but there was something else—

a spark. a spark you hadn’t felt before. a spark that made you forget everything else in your life in that moment—

tom was the epitome of power, and danger. the attraction you felt was wrong in a number of ways—

“what’s there to figure out?” you ask shakily.

“you. i’m trying to figure you out.”


	3. Chapter 3

_“you. i’m trying to figure you out.”_

pausing only for a moment, you stare at him — wide-eyed, caught completely off guard by his statement.

_figure you out?_

“i’m not sure i know what you mean by that,” you explain nervously, “what’s there to figure out?”

the way he’d said it, made it sound as if he had some sort of fascination with you—

tom smiles slightly, clearly amused at how unsettled you’ve become in a matter of seconds,

“trying to figure out your intentions. whether you’re truly innocent, or just good at acting like it,” tom elaborates, and you huff.

“of course,” you mutter, more-so to yourself as you glance away from him, “you don’t trust me. _right_.”

tom continues to stare at you, though. studying your features, how they shift from contentment to irritation rather quickly—

“why would i trust a stranger, y/n? someone who’s involved with the asshole that kille—“

you cut him off, pushing away from him, “you think that i don’t get that? i get it. but i had no idea the type of person he really is, i didn’t know he’d done any of this. i thought he was _innocent_ —“

tom chuckles as if in disbelief at this, and you finally snap. heat rises to your cheeks, and tears well in your eyes. you were over it.

“fuck off,” you spit, absolutely fuming.

you pushed away from him, turning on your heel and storming away from him — maneuvering your way through the sea of people. you needed air.

stepping out onto the balcony, you were relieved to find that it was currently empty—

holding onto the railing, you stared out at the scenery. it was your feeble attempt to distract yourself, to calm your breathing—

you understand tom’s reasoning, you understood that he couldn’t simply trust you. but you wished he’d at least give you the benefit of the doubt.

jackson turned out to be someone he wasn’t. you were just as upset. he’d been fooling you for many months, making you believe he was such a good person.

but he wasn’t. he’d taken people from tom, and god knows what else—

“y/n—“

you tense when you hear his voice, turning to look over your shoulder—

you hate it. you literally hate it. how handsome he looks, especially with how pressed he looks.

it was something about the way he tightened his jaw, his arms crossed and bulging, he appeared intimidating and untouchable—

“go away. seriously just go. i don’t wanna listen to anymore of your fucking accusations—“

tom scoffs, “why? because they just might be true?”

“—none of them are! not a _single_ one. that’s why!” you scowl in disbelief, turning around to face him fully.

shaking his head at you, you watch as his jaw clenched and unclenches. you’re clearly testing his patience—

“you can’t fool me,” tom’s gaze shifts back to you, and you actually laugh at this—

“oh. i don’t have to, because you’ve already fooled yourself,” you shake your head, throwing your hands up in defeat.

tom narrows his eyes at you, “that’s what you want me to believe,”

“that’s what i wish you’d believe! i didn’t wanna be caught up in any of this, i had no idea this was who he really was. i’m just as fucked as you,” you scoffed, almost admitting defeat.

tom’s distrust irritated you, exhausted you.

“yeah. okay,” tom nods, clearly uncaring of anything you’ve said.

approaching him now, you come to a halt just in front of him.

“i can’t stand you,” your tone venomous, your eyes glaring daggers.

and regardless of how much you wanted to dislike him, you knew that you didn’t. you understood his distrust, but that didn’t mean it didn’t bother you any less.

you felt like you both could relate to some degree, you’d both been betrayed by the same person.

not to mention the undeniable attraction you felt to him, and the strong curiosity you felt about him.

you were angry, lashing out—

“yeah? good,” tom replies, his tone cold and callous. you could slap him, but you don’t. you move to walk past him—

tom’s hand is suddenly on your wrist, and he’s pulling you towards him. you collide with his chest so suddenly, but that doesn’t stop him—

his hands are on either side of your head, pulling your face to his. tom’s lips meet yours and you gasp in surprise before melting into the kiss,

tom’s hands shift to your hips, pulling you against him as your arms snake around his shoulders—

your back is hitting the railing of the balcony, and you can’t resist tangling your fingers in his hair—

tom’s hands travel to your bare thighs, traveling up the length of them, disappearing under your dress,

you gasp, breaking out of your reverie as you push him back,

“we can’t...you can’t. you can’t do that,” you’re breathless, your gaze finding his as he stands just in front of you—

“you didn’t seem to mind it,” tom comments, and you roll your eyes.

“you know we can’t,” you shake your head.

his gaze shifts from you for a moment, “you can’t deny there’s something brewing between you and i,” tom speaks after a few moments of silence,

you shrug, “i can’t deny it, no. but i can ignore it.”

tom nods, eyeing you for a few silent moments before turning on his heel and heading back inside—

• • • •

two nights had passed since the incident with tom. you’d kept run-ins with him to a minimum, not wanting to deal with the tension of it all.

you had no idea what was brewing between the two of you, but it was getting intense.

on the third evening, you dressed in your pj’s and left your room — heading for the kitchen. you wanted a snack, but of course you didn’t make it that far without running into him.

harrison stood beside of him, his men roaming the halls. there seemed to be a lot of commotion, but you assumed it was due to a recent meeting.

when tom saw you walking down the hallway towards them, he paused in his discussions with harrison—

harrison noticed, turning to spot you approaching—

even though you wanted to go straight to the kitchen and avoid speaking in general, you knew that you couldn’t simply get away with it.

not now—

“y/n, there you are. you’ve been nesting for a few days. everything good?” harrison prods, and you’re quick to nod—

not without remembering what happened on the balcony nights prior.

you felt your cheeks flush, and you tried to think of anything else—

“seems like you’re being avoidant,” tom comments suddenly, looking at you pointedly as if he knows why you haven’t been around,

which he does.

you sigh, looking away. harrison stares on in confusion, unaware of what happened between the two of you—

“ _look_ —“

before you can even form a sentence, you hear gunfire. your eyes widen in terror, ducking immediately.

tom and harrison are quick to jump to action, pulling their weapons from their holsters — the men following suit.

an ambush maybe? you didn’t know. but you were determined to find cover—

tom’s quick to guard you, and you clutch at the back of his shirt as the doors are busted down—

you watch in horror as men drop left and right, the gunfire endless. you wanted it to be over with.

the last thing you’d expected though, was for jackson to step through the doorway.

“you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” tom scoffs, eyeing the very guy he wanted _dead_.

jackson clutches his gun tightly, spotting you standing behind tom.

“i believe...you’ve got something that belongs to me,” jackson glares at tom, then his gaze shifts to you.

you knew you should feel relieved, you knew you should feel saved. but you didn’t. if he’d really done the things tom had said he’d done...you were just as scared of him.

the man you’d spent so long loving, confiding in. it was all nothing but a lie.

“she’s _not_ yours,” tom snaps, keeping his weapon aimed and ready—

“oh? is she not?” jackson presses, eyeing tom up — “what? don’t tell me you’ve got a thing for her.”

tom glared at him, amusement drifting across his features—

you finally find it in yourself to step around tom, and you’re shocked when tom yanks you close.

tom was being protective. over you.

“it’s fine,” you plead, giving tom a look that said : _it’s okay._

you approached jackson cautiously, and he eyes you suspiciously.

“what’s the matter baby? didn’t miss me?” jackson questions, seemingly taken aback by your behavior.

swallowing thickly, you eye him — in fear, in sadness, in disbelief. now you’d find out for yourself.

“is it true?” you question, coming to a halt just in front of him. “did you do it?”

jackson stares down at you in confusion, before his features shift to realization—

“you told her,” jackson realizes, his gaze shifting to tom. “this was between you and me. and you had to drag her into it, didn’t you? turn her against me?”

you hear tom from behind you, “last i checked, you _killed_ my entire family. consider it my way of getting even.”

jackson chuckles coldly, and you stare up at him in fear. this person that you’d thought you knew, was nothing but a stranger to you now. a stranger who was capable of awful things—

“and here i thought she knew all about you. but as it turns out, you’re a piece of shit who betrays everyone around you,” you hear tom speak from behind you,

shaking your head, you glance away from him. “i can’t believe this.”

jackson shifts in his spot, and you can tell he’s fuming. he’s plotting—

“you wanna get even huh?” jackson chuckles,

before you can run, before you can even consider a single thing—

jackson jerks you up, pulling your back to his chest and locking his arm around you—

you feel the cold barrel of the gun pressing against your temple,

eyes widening in horror, your world coming to a standstill as you scream and attempt to free yourself from his arms—

“let the girl go!” tom yells, clutching his weapon tighter. ever so _cautious_ ,

harrison looks just as shaken, worried for your sake. but what could they do? what could anyone do? everyone had their hands wrapped around a gun,

but who’d take the first shot? 

you were certain this was it—

the person you loved, turned out to be nothing but a fake. and now you were being held in his grip, and he was willing to toss you like you meant nothing—

“ _let’s get even._ ”


	4. Chapter 4

the terror you felt, had you trembling in your ex-lovers grasp. there was nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. you didn’t even know if you’d survive this.

the barrel of a loaded gun pressed against your temple had you believing that you wouldn’t.

all you could do was squeeze your eyes shut. the silence alone was unsettling, but not for jackson. for him, it just pissed him off further it seemed.

“is that what you want? you wanna get even? what did you think was gonna happen here, huh? you take her, use her against me? make me _weak_?” jackson chuckles, and you flinch as he presses the gun against your head harder.

your eyes fly open to see tom standing where you’d left him, he looks pissed. he’s silent.

“that’s a pity, really. i could care less. she’s a pretty thing, but unfortunately she was just a side piece for me,” jackson confesses, and you dare to struggle in his grasp — “easy, _easy_.”

“ _fuck you_ ,” you spit, feeling the tears welling in your eyes.

so it was true.

months, months filled with nothing but lies. the love wasn’t real. nothing about it was real. he wasn’t real.

you felt your stomach turning, you felt incredibly naive. how could you have missed it? monsters really could hide in the shadows, couldn’t they?

“i suggest you set her down,” harrison speaks finally, noticing the fact that tom was growing fed up with this.

jackson chuckles at this, “or what? my men have weapons pointed at the lot of you. just as yours do mine. the fun part? if anyone takes a shot, there’s no telling who’ll drop first. _maybe y/n_?”

“or maybe you can put the girl down and face me, weapons aside,” tom suggests coolly, and jackson remains silent for a few fleeting moments. suddenly tossing you aside carelessly, you land on the floor with a thud—

colliding with the cold marble made you _yelp_ , and you looked up to find jackson approaching tom,

the sight alone gave you chills, unsure of what could come of this—

tom hands his weapon to harrison, as jackson hands his to one of his men. you had yet to get up from where you’d landed across the floor.

tom’s the first to land a sickening blow to jackson’s face, and you cringe as you watch blood trickle from his lip. jackson merely laughs though, obviously not phased by this.

“that all you’ve got? _huh_?” jackson charges at tom now, swinging for his face — but missing, as tom dodges, but jackson is quick to notice, kicking tom’s legs out from under him—

jackson tackles him down to the floor, landing a blow, then another—

you’re quick to get up, hardly even thinking about your next move—

you shove jackson off of tom, “ _stop it!_ ”

tom is laying there, his head laid back against the cold floor. jackson is quick to stand up, shoving you against the wall with his hand around your throat—

as you stare up into the eyes of your ex-lover in absolute horror, incapable of taking in enough air, you claw _desperately_ at the hands restricting your airways,

before gunfire rings out.

you watch as jackson’s eyes widen, before his grip loosens, and he falls to the ground. _lifeless_.

looking to your left, you see harrison holding the gun.

_and that’s when all hell breaks loose._

there was gunfire left and right, and all you could do was crumble to the floor — covering your head and curling into a ball as you cried.

eventually everything was silent, and you didn’t dare move. you didn’t want to.

when someone touched you, you jerked away in fear—

“easy love, it’s _me_ ,” you hear tom’s hushed voice, and you look up to see him crouched next to you, and you feel your bottom lip trembling as you try not to breakdown,

but you fail miserably as you start to cry, sobbing and trembling. the overwhelming emotions of what you’d just witnessed, and just found out.

tom’s arms are scooping you up suddenly, and you don’t bother putting up a fight as he carries you towards your room—

“harrison, see to it that everything’s handled,” tom orders his best mate as he passes him by, and you bury your face against his chest — not wanting to catch a glimpse of what’d just happened.

as tom enters your room, he lays you down carefully on your bed. you lay your head on the pillows, staring up at him as he sits just at the edge of the bed,

“i owe you an apology,” he finally utters, looking away from you — obviously upset.

“not now. and besides, it’s okay,” you sniffle, “i didn’t expect you to trust me. it’s not like you knew you could, at least not yet.”

tom sighs,

“we both just found out how he really feels about me, and i found out who he really is, and then - - and then he - -,” you couldn’t bring yourself to utter the words. _he_ _was_ _killed_.

tom watches as you start to crumble all over again, and he’s shushing you, reaching out to lay a hand on your leg.

“you shouldn’t of had to have witnessed that. i’m sorry i’ve dragged you into all of this,” tom sighs again, “i’ll see to it that you’re returned home safe and sound, as soon as possible—“

your heart leaps, “no... _no_.”

tom looks at you, confused. and you could understand why. you were his captive after all. why would you want to _stay_?

the truth was, you did want to. especially now. oddly enough, with tom was where you currently felt safest.

and you knew how these things worked. someone would be coming soon after to get revenge for what’d happened.

“i feel _safe_ here. and i just – well. i feel like this isn’t just gonna be over. not yet anyways,” you explain, fiddling with the pillowcase as you advert your gaze, unwilling to look at him as you confess.

a few seconds pass before tom finally speaks, “i understand. you can stay here if you’d like, then. we’ll look after you...and you can leave whenever you feel comfortable.”

you look over to him in surprise, not that you’d known what to expect from him.

“okay,” you reply softly, wiping at your eyes.

tom stares at you intently for a few seconds, but finally moving to stand, and you watch as he heads into your bathroom—

you watch after him in confusion, before deciding to follow after him.

“what are you doing—?” you pause in the doorway, watching as he runs a bath – pouring bubble bath into the stream, setting a clean towel at the edge of the tub. you feel your heart skip beats at how nice he’s being to you.

“you look like you could use it. considering what you just went through,” tom replies, turning to face you.

the last thing you’d expected to see was this side of him. tom was being gentle. he was looking after you.

the very man that never cared about much. that was ruthless, merciless. one of the most feared mob bosses himself, was looking after _you_ —

he’d _protected_ you, even though you were of no value to him. at least to your knowledge. you’d noticed how afraid he was for you, how determined he was to keep you safe.

but _why?_

you stare back at him, sighing softly, “yeah. i guess you’re right. it might help, but i doubt it.” you knew you’d be eternally traumatized after what you’d just witnessed.

“i’m gonna go check on things, but i’ll come back to check on you shortly,” tom speaks finally, moving to walk past you—

“could you _uhm_ —“ you pause, nervous to ask. “help with the back of this dress?”

you’d fought endlessly with getting it zipped up when you’d first put it on in the morning, and you didn’t feel up to fighting with it again—

tom seems stunned at this, but nonetheless he nods, moving to stand behind you. the close proximity alone is enough to make you shiver,

you feel his fingertips brush against your skin, and you inhale sharply, closing your eyes,

he _tugs_ the zipper down painfully slow, and you glance over your shoulder to find him eyeing the newly exposed skin—

once the zipper comes to a halt just at the hem of your panties, tom’s eyes meet yours once again.

“thank you,” you whisper,

tom nods, and you see something in his gaze. it’s almost.... _heated_.

tom’s seemingly hesitant to leave — but when he does, he does quickly.

you sigh as you turn back towards the tub, deciding not to think too much of it — allowing the dress to pool at your feet, stripping yourself fully and sinking into the warm water.

it was comforting — _relieving_. especially after what you’d just went through. it felt like you’d been in there for hours, but it’d only been a half hour. you’d washed your hair thoroughly, and scrubbed at your skin, as if you were determined to wash off what’d happened.

when you stepped out of the tub, you pulled on an oversized shirt and underwear, stepping into your bedroom—

as you climbed into bed, you heard the click of the door.

lifting your head, you watch as tom enters the room. clad in just his pajama pants — his bare chest on display. as distracting as it was, you didn’t really focus on it. you were still shaken. he comes to sit just at the edge of your bed again,

“how are you feeling, love?” tom questions softly, and the endearment alone make your heart flutter.

you consider for a moment before answering, “better.”

tom nods at this, “good. i’ll let you get your rest.”

before he can stand, though — you reach out to stop him. he looks back to you in worry and confusion,

“ _don’t go_ ,” you speak softly, eyes pleading. you didn’t want to be left alone. the thought of being alone after all you’d just witnessed....was unsettling.

tom seems to hesitate, before nodding. he climbs onto the bed, pulling the covers back and climbing in just next to you,

his arm snakes around your waist, pulling you against his chest,

“it’s gonna be alright,” tom whispers against the shell of your ear, holding you close beneath the covers. you felt safe in his arms, comfortable — content.

something had shifted. and you’d felt it. tom — who’d taken you captive, who’d been a cold and callous asshole — was the very one who was suddenly gentle, looking after you.

it was as if he felt guilty or ashamed for his false accusations of you, for distrusting the truth that you’d given him all along.

_it was as if you’d gotten under his skin._


	5. Chapter 5

when you woke the next morning, tom wasn’t laying beside you anymore. the spot where he’d been laying was cold, so he must’ve left hours ago.

a part of you missed his warmth, just as another part of you was saddened over the fact that he’d left you in the midst of the night.

rolling out of bed, you sigh as you head into the bathroom. fiddling with your messy hair, you finally give up and pull it into a knot atop your head.

deciding to leave the oversized shirt you’d slept in on, you stepped into your closet and pulled on a pair of sweatpants.

stepping out of the bedroom, you walk down the hallway — stunned at how clean everything was. the disastrous mess from the night before, was gone. everything had been repaired, and replaced as if it’d never happened.

but it had happened.

continuing to walk towards the kitchen, you round the corner only to find tom and harrison standing there—

both of them holding cups of coffee, leaning against the counter as they discuss something,

harrison notices you first, and tom’s gaze quickly follows his,

“morning y/n,” harrison speaks first, ridding everyone of the awkward silence. you can still feel tom’s eyes on you, but you don’t let it bother you too much,

“morning,” you reply, stepping around the both of them to grab your usual — a muffin and some orange juice, nothing fancy.

tom shifts, “so we’re gonna have a party later. this one’s gonna be less formal. we’re gonna have the pool out back open, grilling, drinks,” you glance over your shoulder at him, “you should come,” he finishes.

you can’t help but smile. unlike last time when harrison had invited you, and tom hadn’t been the happiest about it — tom was inviting you this time.

things had shifted between the two of you. tom had discovered that you were innocent and clueless, just as you’d discovered that he wasn’t all bad. he did bad things, but he did them for a reason.

what’d happened last night, you felt was completely justified. whether it was right or wrong. whether you agreed with it or not.

“i’ll think about it,” you grin at tom, before turning to leave the room,

“.... _what did i miss?_ ” you hear harrison question just as you turn the corner, but you don’t stop to listen to tom’s explanation — you simply laugh, and head back to your room.

-

as evening fell, you decided it was time to get ready. you’d stayed occupied all day with cleaning, reading — or resting.

it felt nice to be distracted, to have down time. the last few days had been nothing less than hectic.

applying makeup, you’d decided on dark shadow and lipstick, applying highlighter to give glow to your features — you left your hair down,

settling on a bikini, you wore a black one. pulling an oversized shirt over your head to coverup for now, you made your way out of your room and towards all the commotion.

you shook your head at the scene before you, the amount of people, the music thudding throughout the house—

unable to see tom or harrison in the house, you head out back to find a huge inground pool. people were swimming, jumping in, the crowd was nothing short of rowdy.

you no longer felt like an outcast, it felt as if this was your safe haven, too. tom had been willing to offer his protection as long as you wanted it.

glancing over, you spot the two of them behind the grill — tom’s cooking and harrison’s clutching a beer, chatting on about something as tom listens intently,

what has your attention the most though, is the fact that tom is shirtless, and in just his trunks.

it’s the first time you’ve seen him so. . . _informal_. and you can’t resist ogling the sight of him like this, his toned chest on display—

tom’s eyes shift from the grill to his surroundings, but before his gaze can catch yours — you turn away and head towards an unoccupied lounge chair.

fiddling with the hem of your shirt nervously, you hesitate to lift it over your head. glancing over in tom’s direction again, you find that he’s watching you now as he nod’s at whatever harrison’s going on about,

something about the way he’s looking at you gives you the push you need, and you lift the shirt over your head and toss it aside,

tom seems to stiffen, his eyes shamelessly taking in the sight of you in so little, and you can’t help but shiver.

making your way towards the water, you slowly step into it. the water isn’t terribly cold, it’s bearable. as you swim towards the deeper waters, you tilt your head back to wet your hair—

“hey there,” you hear suddenly, lifting your head to find a random guy floating nearby.

“oh, hey,” you offer a friendly smile. he’s kind of cute, chiseled and sharp features, nice hair — but he’s no tom.

“i’m hayden,” he offers his name, and you give yours in return. as you make friendly chat, it’s soon cut off by someone doing a cannonball just next to the two of you,

actually, two people doing cannonballs,

tom and harrison’s heads pop out of the water, and hayden is quick to clear out.

“ _seriously_?” you scoff, having ducked away just in time to save your face.

“ever hear to not wear makeup in the pool?” harrison scoffs, teasing you.

rolling your eyes, you glare, “i didn’t plan on getting water anywhere above my neck,”

tom chuckles at this, “why’d hayden wanna talk to you?”

you shrug, “just randomly approached me.”

“mm,” tom hums, and you narrow your eyes at him in question. did he seem...bothered? or was it just you?

“what’s wrong mate?” harrison prods, and tom is quick to splash him,

“fuck off div,” tom snaps, failing to act unbothered.

you roll your eyes at the both of them, “weren’t you guys cooking?”

harrison curses in realization — he must’ve forgotten, “should probably check on that. we wanted to take a dip real quick.”

as harrison climbs out of the pool, you turn to face tom again — he seems a little...tense, on edge.

“so hayden?” tom presses, and you sigh in exasperation. what was he getting at?

“we were just having a friendly chat,” you clarify, and tom doesn’t seem to lighten up about it.

“yeah, a friendly chat. nothing’s ever friendly with him. he just likes to fuck every woman he comes across,” tom growls in disgust, as if he can’t stand the guy.

“and? so what? if that’s how he likes to live, then oh well,” you shrug, “he wasn’t bothering me.”

tom stares at you incredulously now, “are you _into_ him?”

“i didn’t say that,” you scowl. what was his deal?

“you _didn’t_ say you _weren’t_ ,” tom replies bitterly, and you feel your skin heating up as you grow increasingly irritated,

“screw off,” you snap, making a quick exit from the pool. as you head into the house, carelessly dripping across the floor — you head towards your room,

you’d had enough of the accusations, the assumptions—

when a hand wraps around your wrist, you turn around with full intent to defend yourself — but instead, you find tom coming at you, causing you to collide with his bare chest as his lips crash down against your own,

your hands are on either side of his face, traveling to the back of his head as your fingers tangle in his hair,

tom groans against your lips, and his hands are on your wait — pulling you against him fully, and you can’t hold back the moan that passes your lips as his hands travel down further to grope at the round flesh of your ass,

he’s walking you backwards the rest of the way to your room, a tangled mess of limbs and messy kisses,

once the door is shut behind the two of you, tom has you pressed against it,

“didn’t like him fucking talking to you,” tom growls against your jaw, his lips traveling towards your neck. you _gasp_ –

“didn’t like how friendly you were with him,” tom continues, his lips on the skin of your neck, “looking like this. _god you look so fucking good—_ “

as he bites down at the sensitive flesh of your neck, you moan louder at the pleasure and the pain it simultaneously elicits,

“ _tom_ ,” you whine, arching against him but he’s relentless, his mouth traveling to your collarbones — his fingers suddenly tugging at the ties of your top, and soon after your top is being flung across the floor.

“fucking _hell_ , look at you—“

tom’s lips are soon on your breast, his lips wrapped around your hardened peaks, sucking—

“oh god,” you gasp, arching against his mouth as he licks, nibbles, and sucks at the pillowy flesh.

tom’s hands are soon lifting you, carrying you over to the bed and tossing you onto it. you land on your back,

“turn over and get on all fours,” he demands, staring you down so intensely that it makes you shiver. you do as he says, and soon after feel his fingers yanking your bottoms down your thighs.

you’re on full display, and you hear him cursing to himself from behind you,

“you’re dripping,” tom groans, trailing his fingertips up the inside of your thighs — coating them with your slick, “dripping down your thighs, angel. is this all for me?”

you can’t resist the whine that escapes you, pushing your hips back — wanting more,

“please tommy, i—“

tom curses under his breath, and two fingers are thrusting into you suddenly — “can’t wait, can you?”

“no i - - oh,”

his fingers are fucking into you at a faster pace, and he’s brushing up against something inside you that causes that familiar coil to tighten up—

“oh god, i’m gonna cum—“ you warn, clutching tightly at the sheets,

tom doesn’t relent, instead he goes faster, and you crumble just as fast — thighs trembling as you cry out for him.

“so fucking _pretty_ ,” tom groans from behind you — you can hear him shuffling, and you soon feel the head of his cock brushing through your folds,

when he thrusts forwards, slowly sinking into your heat, you moan aloud as he curses under his breath,

“so tight,” tom groans, his hands clutching at the roundness of your ass, spreading you apart as he watches himself fuck into you, “you take me so well, angel.”

you can already feel the familiar coil tightening all over again, feeling the head of his cock brushing up against that spot inside you that weakens your knees,

“i think i’m gonna—“

before you can finish your sentence, you feel yourself fall over the edge, shaking beneath him as you cry out—

“again?” tom groans, “shit — so tight when you cum. you’re cumming all over me and i’ve hardly fucked you yet, pretty girl.”

his words alone are enough to make you whine, you had no idea he was so vocal. so filthy.

tom’s fingers tangle in your hair, and he’s tugging as he fucks into you harder—

“such a good girl for me. so pretty. i want you all to myself, can’t help it—“

you whimper, his words alone making you moan,

“i’m gonna cum,” tom groans, “shit — _where_?”

you gasp, the announcement alone hurdling you closer to the edge yet again. “inside,” you whine,

“ _inside_ — but?”

“pill,” you utter, assuring him that it’s safe, and it’s all it takes before his thrusts are faltering — his hips slamming one final time against your own,

the feeling of his cock throbbing inside you, his seed coating you walls sends you over the edge and you bury your face against the sheets as you cry out — tom thrusting a few final times as you ride the waves of your release.

when he pulls out, he lays just next to you as you turn over, curling up just next to him and resting your head on his chest.

as unexpected as it was, you didn’t regret it.


	6. Chapter 6

when you stirred the next morning, you weren’t surrounded by warmth like the night before. tom’s warmth. he was no longer behind you, where he’d been laying was now cold.

disappointed — but not surprised, you sat up in bed. it’s not like there was anything more to whatever was going on between the two of you.

of course it’d been nothing more than a fling. it was a moment of weakness. the tension between the two of you had snapped, that’s all. it wouldn’t happen again.... _would it?_

he’d acted so gentle and caring with you, _jealous_ even. but he still seemed indifferent. you were determined to get on with your day, regardless of the fact that he’d snuck out on you in the middle of the night.

before you can think about it any further, you push yourself out of bed,

pulling on a pair of underwear, followed by your pajama pants and your usual oversized shirt — you made your way to the kitchen for your usual breakfast.

just as last time, you’re greeted with the sight of tom and harrison leaning against the countertop, chatting about business — you assumed.

but you didn’t bother listening in, or prying. grabbing a muffin and a glass of orange juice — your norm, you turned to leave the room,

“g’morning love,” tom chimes suddenly, and you pause in the doorway — turning to glare over your shoulder,

“morning,” you smile tightly, keeping it short and sweet.

“what’s with the _bitterness_ , eh?” harrison chuckles at you, and you glare at him, too.

rolling your eyes, you shrug nonchalantly, “ _ask_ _tom_.”

as you made your way back towards your room, not even five seconds later tom was hot on your heels.

“are you upset with me?” tom questions, stepping in front of you to stop you from walking away from him any further.

looking away from him, you sigh in frustration—

“is it about last night?” tom prods further,

you shake your head, “why would it be? it meant _nothing_. you snuck out after, and now it’s in the past.”

it was hard for you to not be passive-aggressive, he’d managed to get under your skin somehow — and you hadn’t taken kindly to him just sneaking out after such an intimate moment.

then again, it’s not like you really mattered. did you? at the end of the day, you were still technically his _captive_. . .

“oh, c’mon now. you know that’s not true,” tom scoffs,

“—is it not? if it meant anything to you, you wouldn’t have just ran off in the middle of the night whenever you felt like. you would’ve _stayed_ ,” you snap, staring at him incredulously.

tom runs his fingers through his hair, obviously frustrated with this—

“i don’t know how to do this, y/n. i _don’t_ —“

you laugh, “don’t know how to do what? you seem to know how to do it just fine. you know how to reel _them_ in, get _them_ in bed, then turn your back.”

“ _them?_ ” tom glares, “where’d you get that from? are you accusing me of entertaining multiple women?”

“i know how the likes of you operate. rich, emotionless — tries to fill the hold inside of them with booze, _sex_ —“

tom snaps, stepping closer, “easy with the assumptions, love. you don’t know _anything_ about me.”

“i guess i don’t. but it doesn’t matter, does it? because at the end of the day, i’m nothing. i’m just another inconvenience for you,” you quip, leveling your gaze with his before stepping around him —

tom grabs your arm as you attempt to move around him, and you catch his gaze once more. he looks....pissed — but vulnerable.

“you have no idea how incredibly wrong you are.”

instead of coming up with another comment, and instead of fueling the fire, you remain silent and continue towards your room.

the tears in your eyes threatened to fall, but you blinked them away. you felt conflicted, unsure of what was true anymore.

the last few days had put you through more than you could take, none of it even seemed real. how had your life come to this?

—

you’d been curled up in bed practically all day, eating snack and binge-watching tv shows. you wanted to avoid talking to anyone — especially tom, but you knew that would only last so long.

especially considering someone was knocking at your door,

“come in,” you reluctantly yell to whoever was on the other side, watching as the door opens — it’s harrison.

sitting up in bed, you watch as he casually steps in, “you wanna tell me what’s going on?”

you stare in confusion, “what?”

“you and tom, what’s going on there? he’s as ill as a hornet, and you — you’re in here nesting. clearly emotional. what did i miss, seriously?” harrison prods, sitting at the end of the bed.

“he’s not told you anything?” you ask, honestly shocked. harrison was usually the first to know everything.

harrison shakes his head in response, “i don’t think he knows how to. he seems confused himself as it is.”

laughing softly, you can’t help but be surprised at this.

“well. we uh, we um - - _did it_ last night,” you confess, feeling a bit odd revealing that to his best mate. but then again, harrison was growing close to you as well and you felt safe in his presence, as if you could trust, and confide in him.

“oh?” harrison seems surprised for a moment, “saw that coming,” he utters under his breath before his features shift to amusement.

you toss a pillow at him, “ _fuck off_.”

he easily dodged, staring in confusion, “i don’t get it though? what’s the issue?”

“well, he pissed me off because he snuck out on me in the middle of the night. i pissed him off with my accusations apparently,” you explain, shrugging your shoulders.

harrison sighs, “you two,” he tsks. “tell you what, why don’t you come outta this room? get some air? you have yet to get out of the house. we’re going to a club in town tonight, to meet up with some business partners. come along.”

you consider this, before shrugging again, “why not? i’m sure he’d love for me to tag along,” you reply sarcastically.

“we’ll be leaving by seven,” harrison laughs, before making a swift exit.

you glance over at the clock before cursing under your breath, it was nearly five-thirty. you didn’t have much time to prepare.

after taking a shower, you pull on a deep crimson dress, it’s spaghetti-strapped and cuts between your cleavage and down your back — stopping mid-thigh. it accentuates every curve.

slipping on black heels, you curl your hair in waves and apply a black cat-eye to match, with a deeper shade of red lipstick.

-

you were just now arriving at the club, being driven by one of tom’s men. harrison had driven tom, and kept the fact that you were going under the rug.

he’d find out for himself when you ran into one another. you were sure that wouldn’t end well again.

once you’d wandered inside, the first thing you’d done was order a drink — something fruity,

turning on your heel as you sipped at the fruity, yet strong beverage, you glanced around. the music blended out everything else, you could hear people nearby shouting over the music — but that was about it.

the lights were in low setting, and it wasn’t too complicated to make out your surroundings.

especially when tom was suddenly in front of you, causing you to nearly sputter on your drink—

he looked ridiculously hot. he wore his black hat, his black tee that squeezed against his muscles — dark jeans and boots, with his watch wrapped around his wrist.

“what are you doing here?” tom questions, eyeing you shamelessly — his eyes lingering on your cleavage before they found yours again.

“oh? i was invited, by harrison,” you reply, nonchalantly as if you didn’t have a care in the world.

tom huffs, “i’m gonna kick his ass.”

“why? because i’m not allowed to leave the house?”

“it’s not like that—“ tom sighs, glaring at you now.

“what’s it like then?” you press, pushing his buttons carelessly.

tom swallows whatever’s left in his glass, as if he needs it in order to continue this conversation — “hard to explain. you wouldn’t understand anyhow.”

“enlighten me,” you shrug.

“i’d rather not,” tom rejects quickly, and you feel that familiar hurt aching in your chest, threatening to spew over.

“y’know what? screw you. i don’t even know why i came, why i even bother. i’m just another girl to you, another meaningless fuck—“

“what?” tom scoffs, shaking his head at you. before he can stop you, you’re already headed out the side exit — the crisp night air somewhat refreshing, until tom’s bursting out of that door after you, “damn it, y/n.”

“what do you want? can’t you just leave me alone—“

“no, i can’t just leave you alone. you were supposed to be under protection at the house. you aren’t even safe here—“

you laugh, no amusement evident, “oh so that’s what the problem is?”

tom snaps, throwing the glass in his hand against the brick wall just behind you. you jump, tensing — before you can even stare at him incredulously, he’s approaching you fast.

your back hits the wall, his hands coming to rest on either side of your head as he cages you in. you look away from him—

“look at me,” tom demands, “ _look. at. me_.”

the way he’s acting stirs something within you, but you try to ignore it. especially right now—

“you don’t wanna look at me? _fine_. but you can listen to me. i don’t involve myself with women. you’re the _first_ in — a _long time_. after the incident with my family, i wanted nothing more than to be alone. you act like i’m some fucking div who’ll lay with anyone, but i’m _not_ —“

you allow your gaze to shift to him now, your resolve starting to crack. he didn’t entertain others? it was _just you?_ but _why_ —

“technically you aren’t mine to have. i _took_ you, and _used_ you as _bait_ out of _spite_ and _vengeance_. i’m not _good_ — i _don’t_ do good, it’s not in me. but you _deserve_ good. i realized this after we had fucked and i dipped out, i felt _undeserving_ of you—“

tears pricked at your eyes now as you watched him speak, his eyes never leaving your face—

“you’re the first woman i’ve entertained in a long time. the only woman i wanna entertain. but i can’t. but there’s just something about you. i _just_ —“

before he can finish, you grab his face and pull his lips against your own. tom’s taken by surprise, but he doesn’t reject it.

his hands leave the wall, coming down to grasp at your hips — pulling you against him.

“i thought that—“

“you thought _wrong_ ,” tom shakes his head, brushing his nose against your own, “you drive me crazy. you know that, yeah?”

“ _i know_.”


	7. Chapter 7

tom had led you back inside after settling things outside the building, you still had intentions of enjoying your evening out — if you could help it.

as he led you towards the booth where his men and harrison were seated, you clutched at his shirt and kept close, trailing just behind him.

“have the two of you made amends for the _billionth_ time?” harrison teases, a grin spreading across his lips.

“ _screw off_ ,” you huff, rolling your eyes. surely everyone noticed you and tom’s inability to get along.

it hadn’t been clear how tom had felt towards you, he acted so cold and callous — shut off from the world and those around him. after you’d slept together, you’d made assumptions about the type of person he was all because he’d left you in the middle of the night.

but you’d been wrong. at least to your knowledge. tom had just confessed that he didn’t entertain any women whatsoever — and that’s why it’s difficult enough for him to express himself when it comes to you.

you couldn’t help but wonder — _why you?_ why did you catch his interest? what was it about you, that lured him in? maybe you’d never know.

as tom sat in the booth, you scooted in just next to him.

“where is my drink?” tom questions, looking around the table in confusion — until harrison laughs aloud, then tom’s glaring in his direction,

“you _div_ —“

harrison pulls out a cigar with a lighter, “oh shut up. like you were here to drink it. you’re too busy up one another’s asses lately—“

tom’s quick to yank the cigar and the lighter from his best mate’s grip, “ah thanks man,” he grins, all the while harrison is glaring at him — and all you can do is stare in amusement.

you laugh, watching them go back and forth. if you didn’t know any better, you’d think they were siblings.

“let’s talk business, eh?” tom sighs, sprawling out in the booth — his arm coming to rest along the back of the seat just behind you, and you glance over to watch him take a puff from the cigar,

something about the way he’s seated, and the way his features are accentuated — sharp, yet darkened in such dim lighting — makes you squirm. he looks dangerous. handsome.

you’re able to tune out their business chat, unable to resist eyeing tom every now and then — watching as they pass the cigar back and forth.

leaning into him, you lay a hand to rest against the top of his upper thigh. you didn’t miss how he faltered in his sentence, clearly caught off guard—

you can resist grinning, and as harrison talks, tom’s head turns to look at you — his eyes soft, filled with unreadable emotion. the last thing you’d expected was for him to kiss you, but he did. his lips hovered over yours, as if he considered giving you another—

“are you even listening?” harrison scoffs, “you two can’t stop clinging to one another for five minutes,”

“ _jealous?_ ” you quip, teasing him — tom’s head turning to stare at his best mate, a grin spreading across his lips.

harrison laughs, “hardly. if anything it’s nice to catch a fucking _break_ ,”

“oh whatever. you were saying?” tom presses, attempting to focus on their discussion once more.

a few moments pass, and you watch as a waitress approaches — “can i get you another round? mr. holland?” she addresses him _flirtatiously_ , and you glare. _she wasn’t serious, was she?_

tom glances over at her, his features showed nothing but _disinterest_ —

“they’ll take another round, and i’ll take a tequila sunrise,” you quip, stunning the entire table, “ _thanks_ ,” you dismiss her quickly — your tone sharp, uncaring. the jealousy churned in your gut, and you watched as she stared at you in disbelief—

when no one at the table made an attempt to protest, she realized she had no choice but to listen to you, shuffling off to retrieve what you’d asked for.

“jesus y/n,” harrison laughs aloud, “someone’s got a little _attitude_ , eh?”

you shoot a glare in harrison’s direction, before your gaze shifts to tom who’s looking at you — _heatedly_. there’s no anger...there’s _lust_...and it almost looks like _adoration_? and shock?

“what was that about?” tom questions, eyeing you intently,

shrugging, you run your hand along his thigh, “she overstepped.”

tom chuckles at this, eyeing you still — even as the waitress approaches with the drinks you’d requested, not sparing her a glance. even as she retreats,

“jealous little thing,” tom utters, and you flush at his words. you _were_ jealous.

harrison’s speaking again, regaining tom’s attention momentarily. you sip at your drink, tuning in and out—

after a couple drinks, the effects eventually begin to set in, making you feel more brazen—

you run your hand up tom’s thigh, your palm brushing over his crotch as your fingers hook in the waistband of his jeans, tugging.

tom grows tense, not sparing you a glance. he was clearly attempting to seem focused regardless of what you were doing, you supposed. harrison still seems completely unaware,

you decide to go to the bathroom, at the least to see if your hair was still tame and your makeup was still intact.

as you shut the door behind you, or try to — it’s pushed open, and _slammed_ shut. the lock is turned, and tom’s _grabbing_ you—

“what was that little stunt out there, huh? acting all _territorial_ . . . _jealous_ ,” tom’s hands are on your hips, and your back hits the wall, “then you wanna toy with me while i talk business.”

you can’t resist staring innocently up at him, your hands placed against his chest.

“i didn’t like how she came onto you,” you confess, pouting as you push yourself off the wall and against his frame,

“and why not, pretty girl? _hm?_ ” tom utters softly, his hands running along your sides.

you grasp at the sides of his shirt, your nose brushing against his, “cause i — i just _didn’t_.”

tom smiles at this, before his lips are on yours — your back hits the wall again, and his hands travel to the curve of your ass, _squeezing_ handfuls of the soft rounded flesh,

“i’m sure you’d react the same way if someone came at me,” you scoffed, and tom chuckled—

“you aren’t wrong. someone would wind up with some _serious_ injuries,”

the possessiveness he gives off makes you shiver, feeling _safe_ , _desired_ , _protected_.

“i have to get back to my business chat unfortunately, darling,” tom sighs, hesitant to pull away from you. but he does. “i’d love nothing more than to have you right now. but i have to take care of this.”

you nod in understanding, closing your eyes as his lips press against your forehead — watching as he disappears out of the bathroom.

after relieving yourself, you step out of the bathroom and make your way towards the side exit yet again. you needed some air, you felt dizzy. the amount of people in one establishment was suffocating enough.

as the door clicks shut behind you — you lean against the wall just nearby. the air is crisp, cool. the music still boomed through the brick, and you could hear loud chatter even from outside.

after a few minutes passed, you turned on your heel to head back inside — the cool air making you chilly now. it was a shame you didn’t make it more than a few steps, though.

_wham!_

you were knocked unconscious.

—

“wake up,” you feel a nudge, “wake the fuck up!”

your eyes fluttered open, and you took in your surroundings – immediately going into a state of panic,

you could still hear music nearby, the chatter was further away. from what you could make out, they had taken you out back,

“about time we found you. who would’ve thought you’d be laid up with the man that took you captive, though? especially after your _beloved_ jackson died—“

you brazenly rear back, spitting at the man hovering just in front of you, taunting you — and it lands on his face,

“don’t speak that name to me. he was a _liar_ , a _fake_. at least tom _isn’t_ ,” you sneer venomously, glaring daggers at the male.

the man wipes to spit from his face, “you _vile_ little bitch. i ought to wreck you right here. do whatever i want with you, and then kill you.”

“you work for jackson, right? _worked_ _for_ , i should say,” you sneer spitefully—

you feel the sting of his palm as he smacks you,

“i’ve had it with the disrespect. he died because of you, and now fair is fair,” the man snarls, determined to have his vengeance.

_where was tom? had he not noticed yet? what would happen to you if he failed to make it in time?_

you knew you shouldn’t push their buttons, but they’d hit a _nerve_ —

“he died because of his own stupid choices. he chose to be shitty. he made his bed, and now he’s laying in it,” you snap, and you’re suddenly yanked to your feet,

the man is roughly gripping your arm, and he’s pulled out a knife — pushing it up against your neck, and yet you still stare at him in defiance, refusing to let your fear shine through,

“you wanna keep running that little mouth of yours?” the other man asks,

“ _you wanna put her down?_ ” you hear tom’s voice suddenly, looking over to see him standing there with his gun in hand — ready to fire.

the man holding the knife to your throat chuckles, “you really wanna aim that at me? when i’ve got a knife to her throat?”

you stare at tom, finally letting the fear breakthrough. you didn’t know what would come of this—

“you really wanna threaten her, knowing you’ll die for it?” tom quips, his gaze and his tone were deadly.

“yeah, we do. we knew you’d taken a liking to her after taking her from jackson, so we wanted to get under your skin,” the man shrugs, uncaring of tom’s threats. his fearlessness was proving to actually be stupidity.

tom steps closer, “i didn’t take her. i _saved_ her. jackson was an evil, manipulative, disgusting man. she’s a _light_ , she never deserved to be touched by the likes of you. any of you. so, i’ll tell you one more time. _let. her. go_.”

“you really think we’re gonna listen to you—“ the man sputters after a shot rings through the air, then another. both men dropping to the ground, and you look over to spot harrison just off to the side.

somehow, he’d managed to sneak up, and he’d saved your life yet again.

“ _y/n_ —“ tom’s entire demeanor changes as you’re finally released, the man collapsing to the ground just next to you. he’s worried—

you run up to him, throwing your arms around his shoulders as he clutches you as close as he can get you.

“they’re not gonna stop coming for me, are they?” you sniffle as tom pulls back to look at you, holding your face in his hands,

“i’ll put a stop to this. if it’s the last thing i do,” tom assures you, brushing the hair out of your face.

_you couldn’t help but worry, though. would he be able to control the hell that would come from the others over their fallen boss?_


End file.
